Were you ready for BUILD 2015?

Wow, it is hard to describe everything that was announced yesterday, and to answer my own question: I was not ready for BUILD.

It was not lack of interest or willingness, it is just that the incredible amount of changes could take anyone unprepared.

But the future is for the bold, so, how can you get better prepared to take advantage of the incredible announcements made yesterday and the ones to come? Using our Virtual Academy to buff your skills, that is how.

Developing Universal Windows Apps with HTML and JavaScript Jump Start

If you want to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build rich, native apps on a new and exciting platform, look no further. Get the details from Microsoft experts in this fast-paced, two-day course, complete with demos and a look at design considerations for screens from 4 to 40 inches!

Get an introduction to universal apps, make tiles and splash screens, and learn how to bind data. In addition, find out how to build for a multilingual audience, work with authentication scenarios, see how to get your apps out to Windows devices and Windows Phones, and a ton more! Make the most of this opportunity to explore universal Windows apps with the experts!

Universal Windows App Development with Cortana and the Speech SDK

Want to add Cortana to your app? Whether you're into speech integration technology for accessibility, social responsibility, or gaming (or all of the above!), you're probably excited about the possibilities that Cortana offers for Windows Phone developers today and Windows 10 app developers in the near future. Mobility pioneer Nick Landry and popular author/teacher Jeremy Foster share their practical experience in computer speech technologies and mobile app development scenarios.

Explore the why and how of speech apps, tour Cortana, and review the capabilities of the Speech SDK in Windows and Windows Phone. Work with speech synthesis, look at integrating Cortana into your app, check out voice commands, and find out how to build speech-enabled mobile apps with Visual Studio for Windows devices. You'd be surprised at what you can do with as little as three lines of code!

Last Stop: Getting Your Windows App to Market

Developers, if you're ready to cross the finish line and get your Windows Store apps to market, don't miss this opportunity! Learn about a new pilot program that combines a free technical review from Microsoft Premier Field Engineering (PFE) with credit toward your MCSD: Windows Store Apps certification. Sneak a peek into the app review process, get tips on design and implementation, and take a look at common pitfalls and blockers to getting apps into the Windows Store. Don't miss the last stop!